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Guest Post: Introducing Erin from Gluten-free Fitness

Hey everyone!

Many thanks to Kim for extending the invitation to guest post on her blog. I am Erin, the Gluten Free Fitness Nerd.

Yes, I’m a nerd. I have to admit it, I cannot lie. Although I have ditched the thick glasses I wore as a child (thank you, Laser Eye Surgery Center) I am still a nerd. I like to read. A lot. And I like to read research and sciency stuff.

More than that though, I like to figure out how that sciency stuff applies to real life. I am very fortunate to have learned, and to continue to learn from some very smart people. There is an overwhelming amount of information to sort through, and lots of times it is contradictory. So, I synthesize what I learn, and what I learn from others, to make an educated guess on what it takes to live a healthier life.

As you may be able to tell, I have a educational background in health sciences. I hold my Masters degree in Physical Therapy, and Bachelors in Health Science. I’ve considered going back for my Piled Higher and Deeper (PHD), but holding off for now. Probably forever.

I was diagnosed with celiac disease about 5 years ago-ish. Honestly my memory is not so good on that, but around 4 or 5 years ago. I had, like so many others, been diagnosed with the garbage can of GI disorders-IBS several years prior. I am a amateur physique athlete (figure competitions) and throughout the course of getting ready for a competition noticed an increased reaction to wheat products. Lo and behold, a new GI doctor later-celiac disease. Which in retrospect makes perfect sense. I had Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, early osteopenia (despite lifting weights, having a calcium rich diet and being under 30 years old,) Raynauds’s syndrome, and sports injuries out the wazoo. Autoimmune disorders-all commonly associated with celiac disease. No one had ever put together the pieces.

Transitioning to a completely gluten free diet was a challenge in some respects and easy in others. It was challenging when it came to hidden gluten and labeling, as the labels have absolutely improved since my diagnosis. That may have been why I gravitated to naturally gluten free food-easier to navigate, and better for me. I once made myself very sick by making homemade chicken soup. I wasn’t feeling well, so I made some chicken and vegetable soup. With College Inn chcken broth. Which was not gluten free. I was so mad. I ranted on the phone to my Mom for a good long while on that on. It was easy in the sense that I felt so much better after going gluten free. The constant stomach pains, gas, bloating, all that fun stuff. It was gone. I would not ever want to feel that way again, not for any gluten-filled item. Just not worth it. Not even close. Not even for a Philadelphia soft pretzel from a street cart.

My diet is almost completely naturally gluten free. I do have gluten free oats, which I love, and gluten free Koala Crisp bars and Quakers Chocolate Crunch Rice Cakes as post workout fuel. I usually choose white/sweet potato or rice when I want a carb source. I don’t eat gluten free pasta-I use spaghetti squash if I want the “pasta” vibe. For treats I LOVE chocolate, and ice cream-or both together. I am a firm believer that no gluten free food is off limits-there are just better amounts and times to have certain splurges. You can certainly get fat on a gluten free “diet”, just like with anything.

Enough about me. My goal, what I want to do with my life, is to educate. To educate people to care for themselves better, do it well, and do it easily. I believe that we as humans have so much potential. I am saddened to see the food marketing to the masses, and the grocery carts full of “not food.” But I believe we can make a change, and that with some awareness, people will make better choices.

So I’m a nerd. But I’m a nerd on a mission. Gluten free, fit and healthy. That’s the goal.